This blog was created for Niles Animal Hospital & Bird Medical Center by Peter S. Sakas DVM in an effort to provide information & discussion about animal related issues. It may move into some eccentric directions on occasion if the mood strikes me as I get more comfortable in this form of communication. I am open to suggestions & comments about the blog. Also view our hospital website www.nilesanimalhospital.com or Facebook page Niles Animal Hospital and Bird Medical Center.

PetSmart Removes Parakeets From Stores Because of Psittacosis

Family Says it Wasn't Notified of Contagious Parakeets

PetSmart removes parakeets from all stores due to bacterial disease

PetSmart is alerting its customers
about a bacterial disease found in parakeets at its stores that can be
transmitted to humans, but one suburban Chicago family says their
warning came too late.

The store has confirmed several cases
of psittacosis, also known as parrot flu. When the bacterial infection
is transferred to humans -- in some cases through the bird's droppings
-- victims may develop cold or flu-like symptoms similar to a
respiratory illness usually within one to two weeks after exposure to an
infected bird.

The retailer says the infected birds
have been traced to a single supplier and are asking anyone who
purchased a parakeet from one of their stores between March 12 and May
20 to check their bird for illness.

The birds have been pulled from more than 500 of the retailer's stores.

New Lenox resident Wendi O'Brien
bought a parakeet at an Orland Hills PetSmart in April. She learned
about the sick birds after visiting the store to buy another on Tuesday
night, and went she got home, her daughter discovered their pet was
dead.

"The parakeet was chirping before we
left. We had dinner at grandma's and we got home 9 o'clock and she
started crying and brought the bird," O'Brien said.

O'Brien is upset because she says the
store didn't notify them about the problem with the parakeets, and her
bird had been flying around the house and exposed to elderly people and children at a birthday and graduation party.

"I am a perks member, so I should
have gotten that email," O'Brien said. "I would've taken more
precautions. I would've taken the bird back, had him quarantined. I
wouldn't have let our 8-year-old daughter clean his cage."

But now O'Brien says she's worried because she and two other family members have been suffering from respiratory problems.

"I just wish they were more
proactive prior to so that so I could've avoided this so I didn't need
to have this health scare," O'Brien said.

PetSmart is encouraging anyone with a
dead or sick bird to call the store so they can take it to an avian
veterinarian for testing.

Birds with psittacosis may appear to
be drowsy or depressed, eat poorly and have runny eyes and noses. They
may also sneeze, cough, have ruffled feathers or shiver. The bird's
droppings will often be watery.

Humans showing symptoms are urged to see a physician.

PetSmart officials say 16 cases of psittacosis have been confirmed at its stores across the country.